"CJ CheilJedang Collaborates with Global Hotel Chain 'Accor' for Biodegradable Plastic Products"

Collaboration to Replace Single-Use Plastic Amenity Containers with Biodegradable Materials in Accor Hotels
Considering Global Expansion After Domestic Introduction

Choi Eun-seok, CEO of CJ CheilJedang (right), and Gus Siemens, Regional CEO of Accor Asia Pacific, are signing a memorandum of understanding for the development of hotel supplies using PHA at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, and posing for a commemorative photo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] CJ CheilJedang is taking a full-scale step toward the commercialization of the eco-friendly biodegradable material ‘PHA’ in collaboration with the global hotel chain Accor (ACCOR).

On the 4th, CJ CheilJedang announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the development and expanded application of hotel amenities using PHA, attended by CEO Eunseok Choi and Gas Simons, Head of Accor Asia Pacific. Accor, established in France in 1967, is a global hotel chain operating more than 5,000 hotels in 110 countries under brands such as Fairmont, Pullman, and Novotel.

The two companies plan to closely cooperate to replace various plastic items provided at 24 Accor-affiliated hotels in Korea with PHA materials. They will review ways to make not only supplies such as cups, plastic bags, combs, and stationery placed in guest rooms but also amenity containers from PHA.

Accor has announced specific guidelines to phase out single-use plastic items by the end of this year and expand the use of eco-friendly materials such as home-, soil-, and marine-biodegradable materials or recycled materials instead. They also stated that industrial biodegradable materials that decompose only under certain conditions will not be used. Among various eco-friendly materials, they apply strict internal standards to determine the scope of use.

A CJ CheilJedang official said, “CJ CheilJedang is one of the very few companies worldwide commercializing PHA, and especially the only company mass-producing amorphous aPHA, which has a soft texture similar to rubber.” He added, “This unique competitiveness aligns well with Accor’s strict plastic usage policy.” CJ CheilJedang and Accor plan to first apply PHA-made products to hotels in Korea and later consider expanding to hotels in the Asia-Pacific region.

CJ CheilJedang continues to collaborate to expand the use of PHA in consumer-close products. Recently, it started developing cosmetic containers using biodegradable materials such as PHA in partnership with the makeup brand ‘Banila Co.’ Products with biodegradable material containers are expected to be launched within this year.

Cosmetic containers are mainly made of plastic or glass, but since they are rarely cleaned and separated for recycling, recycling is relatively difficult. CJ CheilJedang expects that eco-friendly cosmetic containers made from bio-based plastics instead of petroleum-based plastics, which have high carbon emissions, will receive a positive response from consumers sensitive to value consumption.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.